Auty Faces New Probe Over Song
Kirklees Unity | 12.04.2007 15:20 | Oaxaca Uprising | Anti-racism | Culture | Migration | Sheffield
The Yorkshire Evening Post can reveal a new inquiry into the activities of Kirklees Council’s Coun Colin Auty (BNP, Dewsbury East) could begin shortly.
The Yorkshire Evening Post can reveal a new inquiry into the activities of Kirklees Council’s Coun Colin Auty (BNP, Dewsbury East) could begin shortly.
He allegedly wrote a song called Saville Town, Where’s It Gone, in which he implied the area of Dewsbury, which is mainly populated by people of Asian origin, was rife with drug dealers and paedophiles.
The song also bemoaned the loss of pubs, fish n’ chip shops and chapels and lamented the increase in mosques, kebab shops and taxis
Labour MP Mr Malik referred the song to the Standards Board for England (SBE), the body which monitors councilors conduct, but they concluded they were unable to investigate the matter further because Coun Auty was deemed have been acting ‘in private” when he wrote the song.
However, since that complaint was investigated and news of the song released, Coun Auty has performed it in public outside Mr Malik’s office on Daisy Hill A video of the Incident even appears on the Internet.
The YEP understands that this separate incident will now become the subject of a second complaint and that it will be investigated fully by the SBE.
Sources revealed to the YEP that the SBE were “frustrated” at not being able to conduct an investigation into the first complaint, It is understood that after seeking expert legal advice, the case was dropped because it was considered highly likely that if it had been upheld, it would have been overturned on appeal.
That legal opinion was based on a precedent set last year when the Appeal Court overturned a ruling that London Mayor Ken Livingstone had acted improperly when he likened a Jewish reporter to a Nazi concentration camp guard.
The video of Coun Auty’s performance of the song in public, on Friday March 30, is prefaced by a caption which clearly states he is a BNP councilor.
The YEP has learned that the SBE would investigate this matter fully, possibly leading to the suspension of Coun Auty.
A spokesman from the SBE said: “We do not comment on complaints until they have been received. However, there is nothing to stop someone making a complaint about a new incident”
Mr Malik’s office refused to comment further on the matter but they are seriously considering making a fresh complaint.
He allegedly wrote a song called Saville Town, Where’s It Gone, in which he implied the area of Dewsbury, which is mainly populated by people of Asian origin, was rife with drug dealers and paedophiles.
The song also bemoaned the loss of pubs, fish n’ chip shops and chapels and lamented the increase in mosques, kebab shops and taxis
Labour MP Mr Malik referred the song to the Standards Board for England (SBE), the body which monitors councilors conduct, but they concluded they were unable to investigate the matter further because Coun Auty was deemed have been acting ‘in private” when he wrote the song.
However, since that complaint was investigated and news of the song released, Coun Auty has performed it in public outside Mr Malik’s office on Daisy Hill A video of the Incident even appears on the Internet.
The YEP understands that this separate incident will now become the subject of a second complaint and that it will be investigated fully by the SBE.
Sources revealed to the YEP that the SBE were “frustrated” at not being able to conduct an investigation into the first complaint, It is understood that after seeking expert legal advice, the case was dropped because it was considered highly likely that if it had been upheld, it would have been overturned on appeal.
That legal opinion was based on a precedent set last year when the Appeal Court overturned a ruling that London Mayor Ken Livingstone had acted improperly when he likened a Jewish reporter to a Nazi concentration camp guard.
The video of Coun Auty’s performance of the song in public, on Friday March 30, is prefaced by a caption which clearly states he is a BNP councilor.
The YEP has learned that the SBE would investigate this matter fully, possibly leading to the suspension of Coun Auty.
A spokesman from the SBE said: “We do not comment on complaints until they have been received. However, there is nothing to stop someone making a complaint about a new incident”
Mr Malik’s office refused to comment further on the matter but they are seriously considering making a fresh complaint.
Kirklees Unity
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